1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for the hand and wrist which is especially intended for use with hand held power actuated fastener guns designed to protect the wrist and the hand between the thumb and index finger from the recoil impact imparted on the hand during operation of a hand held power actuated fastener gun.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of gloves and braces to protect a wearer from injury to the hand or wrist is well known in the prior art. The prior art in this area generally consists of gloves to protect the wearer""s hand and braces that protect the wearer""s wrist.
There are several gloves that protect the wearer""s hand from cuts, punctures, or blows in the prior art. Some examples are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,745,919, 5,231,700, and 5,974,588. U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,919 issued to Kraatz discloses a cut-resistant protective glove with leather sheath that protects the wearer""s hand from cuts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,700 issued to Cutshall discloses a penetration resistant hand protector for medical applications that protects the wearer""s hand from punctures during medical procedures. U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,588 issued to Furman discloses a protective glove for protecting the hand of a wearer from injury from blows impacting the hand. Furman provides a glove that has a fingertip shield adjacent the tip of each finger, and a knuckle shield on the back face of the glove to protect the hand overall from blows generally aimed at the hand. While the prior art in this area may protect the hand from cuts, punctures, or blows directed generally to the hand, they do not protect the wearer""s wrist and hand between the wearer""s thumb and index finger from the localized repetitive impact associated with the recoil impact imparted on the hand during operation of a hand held power actuated fastener gun.
There are several braces that protect the wrist from injury due to repetitive motion. Two examples are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,769,804 and 4,941,460. U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,804 is a carpal tunnel syndrome wrist brace that immobilizes the wrist to prevent further injury. U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,460 is a carpal brace which permits the full use of the fingers while preventing further injury. While the prior art in this area may protect the wrist from repetitive motion injuries, they do not protect the wearer""s wrist and hand between the wearer""s thumb and index finger from the localized repetitive impact associated with the recoil impact imparted on the hand during operation of a hand held power actuated fastener gun.
Accordingly, it is the object of the claimed invention to provide a device to protect the wearer""s wrist and hand between the wearer""s thumb and index finger from the localized repetitive impact associated with operating a hand held gun powered by gun powder, electricity, pneumatics, and other like sources of power that drives fasteners such as nails, staples, rivets, and other like fasteners.
To attain this objective, the claimed invention generally comprises an adjustable glove for the hand, wrist, and lower forearm made of a flexible material which covers the lower portion of the forearm, wrist, and hand. The material is separated on the back side of the glove forming a gap from the open end of the glove to about the wrist. The gap allows persons of different sizes to secure the glove on the lower forearm, wrist, and hand by either expanding or narrowing the gap. The glove is secured on the wearer""s lower forearm, wrist, and hand by adjustable fasteners such as Velcro(copyright) and or laces situated across the gap that runs along the back side of the glove. Each finger of the glove has an opening through which the wearer""s fingers extend.
The glove has a pocket on the palm side of the glove capable of engaging a padded reinforcement member that extends from the inside of the forearm to the mid-palm area and across the palm toward the thumb, covering both the palm and side of the hand from the first joint of the index finger to the midpoint between the first and second joints of the thumb, between the index finger and thumb.
A padded reinforcement member made of a rigid material and covered with a padding material is engaged within the pocket of the glove. The padded reinforcement member extends from the forearm of the wearer to the mid-palm area of the wearer and across the palm toward the thumb, covering both the palm and side of the hand from the from the first joint of the index finger to the midpoint between the first and second joints of the thumb, between the index finger and thumb. The portion of the padded reinforcement member that protects the area from the forearm to the mid-palm is contoured to fit the natural curvatures of the hand. The portion of the padded reinforcement member that protects the palm and side of the hand from the first joint of the index finger to the midpoint between the first and second joints of the thumb, between the index finger and thumb is configured to accommodate the curved handle design that hand held power actuated fastener guns commonly have. The padded reinforcement member transfers the recoil impact from the operation of the hand held power actuated fastener gun to the upper forearm and the upper arm.
The reinforcement member protects many of the bones, muscles, tendons, and nerves of the hand and wrist from the localized repetitive impact associated with the recoil impact imparted on the hand during operation of a hand held power actuated fastener gun.